There are a number of situations in which it is desirable to image decals using toner (e.g. as by application using a conventional laser printer) so that the decal and a business form on which the decal is mounted may both have the same identifying indicia thereon. This is especially significant for vehicle registration decal renewals such as printed by state governments or other organizations. It is highly desirable to be able to use laser printers, or like toner base printers, to image a registration form (which typically is carried in the glove compartment of the vehicle) and license plate decal simultaneously, such at a branch office of a state department of motor vehicles, to guarantee matching numbers on the decal and registration form. Such decals are made so that they tear easily so that anyone attempting to remove a decal from a license plate will destroy the decal. The decals typically are of reflective material, incorporating glass bead reflective properties therein so as to be visible at night.
While the use of laser printers for substantially simultaneously printing registration forms and license plate decals is highly desirable, a disadvantage associated therewith is that the powdered toner used by the printer is easily removed from the decal either as a result of encountering certain environmental conditions, or certainly if someone is interested in forgery. While the decal has a toner receptive surface and the toner is resistant to some environmental substances that it will come into contact with (such as some detergents and salt water), most toners do not stand up to a variety of other environmental or like conditions or agents. Particularly difficult are cleaning agents such as turpentine and gasoline which can fairly readily remove toner.
According to the present invention, the problems associated with toner on decals is overcome by utilizing a small size substantially transparent plastic protective patch which covers the toner applied indicia on the decal. While the patch protects the toner from cleaning agents, etc., does not significantly retard the decal light reflective properties, and it does not significantly increase the tear strength of the decal, so that the decal will still readily tear if an attempt is made to remove it from the license plate. Also the adhesive used to bond the substantially transparent protective patch to the decal is aggressive, so that any attempt to remove the protective patch will also destroy the decal. The protective patch is utilized according to the invention may readily be applied either manually or automatically to the toner indicia on the decal, providing a simple yet highly effective mechanism and procedure for overcoming the problem associated with utilizing toner based indicia on decals in prior art business forms.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a reflective decal is provided comprising the following components: A decal substrate body of readily tearable material, having a reflective material first face visible when in use, and having a decal area. A second face of the decal body opposite the first face, and having adhesive associated therewith. First, toner, indicia on the first face, the first toner indicia circumscribing a first area, the first area less than the decal area. Second indicia on the first face distinct from the first indicia and outside the first area. And, a protective substantially transparent film substantially covering the first indicia and protecting the first indicia but not significantly increasing the tear resistance of the decal body [so that the decal will still readily tear if an attempt is made to remove it from the license plate].
The protective transparent film is preferably attached to the decal body over the first toner indicia with a substantially transparent aggressive pressure sensitive adhesive, such as a permanent thermoset acrylic copolymer adhesive. The transparent protective film may comprise a clear acrylic film, polyester film, or another plastic film having protective and tear properties substantially comparable to acrylic and polyester, having a thickness of about 0.001-0.002 inches. When it has that thickness then it has sufficient integrity to be effectively applied to the toner indicia and protect it, but yet it will be destroyed if removable is attempted.
The decal body typically comprises a metal foil, and the first face comprises one or more layers of reflective glass beads and polymer overcoating. The decal second face adhesive preferably comprises pressure sensitive adhesive, and the decal may be applied to a license plate with the second face pressure sensitive adhesive, and initially is applied to a business form release material section by that adhesive. The business form has toner indicia thereon spaced from the first indicia but substantially identical thereto. For example the second indicia may comprise an expiration date, while the first indicia comprises identifying indicia (a license plate or registration number). Typically the first area is less than 50% of the decal area (more preferably less than a third of the decal area) and the protective film preferably has an area not more than about 30% greater than the first area (e.g. about 10-30% greater).
According to another aspect of the present invention a business form is provided comprising the following components: A substrate body having a piggyback decal attached thereto, the decal having a decal area, and a first, top, face having first toner, indicia on the first face, the first toner indicia circumscribing a first area, the first area less than the decal area. Second indicia on the decal first face distinct from the first indicia and outside the first area. Third toner indicia on the substrate body distinct from the decal, the third toner indicia substantially identical to the first toner indicia. And, a protective substantially transparent film adapted to substantially cover the first indicia and having an area not greater than about 130% of the first area, the film for protecting the first indicia but not significantly increasing the tear resistance of the decal body.
The business form preferably further comprises a patch of pressure sensitive adhesive release material on the substrate body spaced from the decal, and an aggressive substantially transparent pressure sensitive adhesive on the protective film, the aggressive adhesive on the patch of release material. The protective film is applied over and covers the first area, and is preferably attached to the decal with substantially transparent aggressive adhesive as described above, and is formed of materials and has a thickness preferably as described above. The substrate body may be part of a continuous form set, attached to other like business forms by lines of weakness (such as perforation lines, tear lines, die cut lines, etc.). The substrate body may comprise a mailer type business form including adhesive or cohesive strips and at least one fold line, for folding into a mailer, and a permanent (until next renewal) registration card section.
According to another aspect of the present invention a method of facilitating (making and/or using) a business form from a substrate, at least one readily tearable decal, and substantially transparent protective film, is provided. The method comprises: (a) Applying the at least one readily tearable decal in piggyback fashion to the business form substrate. (b) Toner imaging first indicia on a portion of the decal so that the first indicia circumscribes a first area, and substantially simultaneously toner imaging the first indicia on the substrate spaced from the decal. And, (c) applying the protective substantially transparent film covering the first indicia over the first area so that the film protects the first indicia but does not significantly increase the tear resistance of the decal.
Preferably (c) is practiced automatically; for example (c) is practiced by: (c1) providing the protective film as a plastic film in patch form having a thickness of between about 0.001-0.002 inches attached by an aggressive substantially transparent pressure sensitive adhesive to a release material substrate; (c2) automatically separating the film from the release material substrate above the business form; and (c3) automatically blowing the film down onto the decal so that the aggressive adhesive holds the film onto the decal covering the first indicia.
The method may further comprise: providing the protective film as a plastic film in patch form having a thickness of between about 0.001-0.002 inches attached by an aggressive substantially transparent adhesive on a release material patch on the business form; and in which case (c) is practiced by manually removing the protective film patch from the release material on the business form, and applying the protective film patch over the first indicia on the decal so that the aggressive adhesive holds the protective film patch on the decal.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a simple yet effective reflective decal which can be easily produced using toner indicia or registration indicia thereon without the toner indicia being readily removed by environmental or human forgery conditions in the field. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.